BSC title game picture has a green tint

Oregon wide receiver Josh Huff celebrates after his 35-yard touchdown catch against California on Saturday. Oregon, Kansas State and Notre Dame are the only unbeaten teams in the running for the BCS title game.Associated Press

By Mike NorthThe Rebel Insider

My prediction of Notre Dame versus Oregon in the BCS title game is looking pretty good after the loss of Alabama to Texas A&M last weekend.

Now, at least for a week or two, we won't have to hear from the SEC backers. For the first time in years, and for the time being, the Southeastern Conference is on the outside looking in.

I keep hearing that if the college football season ended today, most people would have Oregon playing Kansas State. But with conference playoffs, their chances of losing loom larger than Notre Dame, which has a light schedule until it plays USC.

But if all three go undefeated, I'm hearing the Irish would be out and Kansas State would play Oregon. I'll believe it when I see it.

The once mighty has fallen

Growing up in Chicago in the 1960s, the biggest ticket in town wasn't the Chicago Cubs or the White Sox or even the Bears, it was a ticket to watch the Chicago Blackhawks at the Chicago Stadium.

If we were lucky, my Dad would take us to a couple of Blackhawks games a year. When we got older, it was a big deal if we could score standing room only tickets or anything else that was available. A really great Sunday was attending a Bears game during the day and going to a Hawks game at night.

Now it seems the NHL owners are telling Donald Fehr and the players to drop dead. The NHL lockout has been extremely damaging, and the sport is rapidly trending downward. The media is talking and writing very little about hockey and the NHL lockout.

The new sport stepping in will be soccer. It looks like hockey, once king in so many cities, might become a forgotten, broken-down business because of greed and stubbornness.

I have this comment to the owners and the NHLPA: you're the losers, not us. There are plenty of other sports to latch onto now. NHL -- R.I.P.

Rangers, Hamilton should part

Josh Hamilton, the Texas Rangers slugger, is looking for a seven-year deal worth $170 million to $175 million. The Texas Rangers are offering Hamilton a three-year deal, but the salary has not yet been substantiated.

The recovering addict has had some episodes the last few years, including falling off the wagon, and a problem with caffeine. Between a few injuries that have slowed him down, a bad playoff run, and Nolan Ryan questioning him about giving up chewing tobacco during the season, I think the Rangers should just move on.

Hamilton will find the money and years with another team. A change of scenery will be good for both the player and the ballclub.

Program notes:

I will be filling in Wednesday from 6-9 p.m. on Fox Sports Radio, and you can listen at XM 169, iHeart Radio and Foxsportsradio.com.

• Mike North's column appears each Tuesday and Friday in the Daily Herald, and his video commentary can be found Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at dailyherald.com. For more, visit northtonorth.com.

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